Flexible cloud management including external clouds

ABSTRACT

A cloud management system can maintain a set of “virtual groups,” and assign different “virtual groups” to particular computing resources of both local and external clouds. The “virtual groups” can be based on the particular usage (type of virtual machine, application of the virtual machine, function of the virtual machine, and the like) of the members in the groups and/or can be based on the specifications of the computing resources (type and amount of computing resources). When instantiating virtual machines in local or external clouds, the cloud management system can utilize the “virtual groups” to identify and allocate the computing resources.

FIELD

This invention relates generally to network computing, more particularly, to systems and methods for cloud computing related networks, services, and products.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

The advent of cloud-based computing architectures has opened new possibilities for the rapid and scalable deployment of virtual Web stores, media outlets, and other on-line sites or services. In general, a cloud-based architecture deploys a set of hosted resources such as processors, operating systems, software and other components that can be combined or strung together to form virtual machines. A user or customer can request the instantiation of a virtual machine or set of machines from those resources from a central server or management system to perform intended tasks or applications. For example, a user may wish to set up and instantiate a virtual server from the cloud to create a storefront to market products or services on a temporary basis, for instance, to sell tickets to an upcoming sports or musical performance. The user can lease or subscribe to the set of resources needed to build and run the set of instantiated virtual machines on a comparatively short-term basis, such as hours or days, for their intended application.

Currently, cloud-based computing architectures are supported by dedicated servers used solely to operate the clouds. These dedicated servers utilize unitary virtualization schemes in order to instantiate virtual machines in the cloud. Likewise, these architectures lack flexibility in selecting resources to include in the cloud. Additionally, these architectures are not capable of utilizing the computing resources provided by external clouds.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various features of the embodiments can be more fully appreciated, as the same become better understood with reference to the following detailed description of the embodiments when considered in connection with the accompanying figures, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary cloud computing architecture in which various embodiments of the present teachings can be practiced;

FIG. 2 illustrates the exemplary cloud computing architecture in which a cloud management system can manage a cloud and cooperate with external clouds, according to various embodiments;

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary hardware configuration for a cloud management system, according to various embodiments; and

FIG. 4 illustrates a flowchart an exemplary process for managing a cloud and cooperating with external clouds, according to various embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

For simplicity and illustrative purposes, the principles of the present teachings are described by referring mainly to exemplary embodiments thereof. However, one of ordinary skill in the art would readily recognize that the same principles are equally applicable to, and can be implemented in, all types of information and systems, and that any such variations do not depart from the true spirit and scope of the present teachings. Moreover, in the following detailed description, references are made to the accompanying figures, which illustrate specific embodiments. Electrical, mechanical, logical and structural changes may be made to the embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present teachings. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense and the scope of the present teachings is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Embodiments of the present teachings relate to systems and methods for flexible management of a cloud computing environment. More particularly, embodiments relate to platforms and techniques in which a cloud management system can identify and utilize computing resources of local clouds and external clouds regardless of the infrastructure of the computing resources and the mechanisms used to instantiate virtual machines in the local and external clouds.

According to embodiments, the cloud management system can be configured to identify and manage computing resources for a local cloud and computing resources of an external cloud that allow for instantiating virtual machines in the cloud so that the utilization of the computing resources available is maximized. The cloud management system can be utilized in any type of cloud architecture regardless of the type of computing resources and the virtualization scheme used to instantiate the virtual machines. For example, the cloud management system can be used in dedicated cloud environments. Likewise, the cloud management system can be utilized in existing data centers in order to support ad-hoc clouds formed from existing and available computing resources. Likewise, the cloud management system can utilize the virtualization scheme of the external cloud.

According to embodiments, when a requester requests use of the cloud, the cloud management system can be configured to receive specifications of the cloud usage from the requester. The specifications can include how the requester plans to use the cloud (mail server, application server, web server, etc.) and/or specific requirements for the computing resources (amount of processing power, amount of memory, amount of storage, amount of bandwidth, etc.). The cloud management system can be configured to maintain an inventory of computing resources available to the local cloud and available in the external cloud and the current utilization of those resources. The cloud management system can be configured to utilize the specifications from the requester and the inventory of available computing resources to determine which resources of the local cloud or external cloud to devote to the requester's virtual machines to maximize the computing resources and meet the requester's specifications.

According to embodiments, the cloud management system can maintain a set of “virtual groups,” and assign different “virtual groups” to particular computing resources of the local cloud and external cloud. The “virtual groups” can be based on the particular usage (type of virtual machine, application of the virtual machine, function of the virtual machine, and the like) of the members in the groups. For example, the cloud management system can establish a “virtual group” for web servers. The cloud management system can classify the computing resources for the web server “virtual group” based on which computing resources are best suited for web servers. As members of the web server “virtual group” request use of the cloud, the cloud management system can assign the available computing resources classified in the web server “virtual group” to the members.

Likewise, the “virtual groups” can be based on the specifications of the computing resources (type and amount of computing resources) of the local cloud and the external cloud. For example, the cloud management system can create a “virtual group” for high power computing users. The cloud management system can assign resources to this group that can adequately support computing intensive virtual machines. As members of the high power “virtual group” request use of the cloud, the cloud management system can assign the available computing resources classified in the high power “virtual group” to the members.

By supporting a cloud regardless of the infrastructure and virtualization scheme, the cloud management system can create, manage, and support the cloud on any type of computing resources. Additionally, by classifying the computing resources, the cloud management system can maximize the usage of computing resources in the cloud and tailor the computing resources according to processes ruing in the cloud. Likewise, by including the computing resources of external clouds, the cloud management system can provide an expanded amount of computing resources to requesters. As such, the cloud management system can provide flexibility and efficiency to any cloud computing environment.

FIG. 1 illustrates an overall cloud computing environment 100, in which systems and methods for the flexible management of the cloud computing environment 100, according to embodiments of the present teachings. According to embodiments, a cloud management system 102 can be configured to mange one or more clouds, such as a dedicated cloud 104 and an ad-hoc cloud 106. As used herein, a “cloud” can comprise a collection of computing resources that can be invoked to instantiate a virtual machine, process, or other resource for a limited or defined duration.

As shown for example in FIG. 1, the collection of computing resources supporting the dedicated cloud 104 can comprise a set of resource servers 108 configured to deliver computing resources and components needed to instantiate a virtual machine, process, or other resource. For example, one group of resource servers can host and serve an operating system or components thereof to deliver to and instantiate a virtual machine. Another group of resource servers can accept requests to host computing cycles or processor time, to supply a defined level of processing power for a virtual machine. A further group of resource servers can host and serve applications to load on an instantiation of a virtual machine, such as an email client, a browser application, a messaging application, or other applications or software. Other types of resource servers are possible.

In embodiments, in addition to supporting the dedicated cloud 104, the cloud management system 102 can be configured to support the ad-hoc cloud 106. The ad-hoc cloud 106 can be composed of a variety of computing resources that may not be dedicated to a cloud but can have available computing resources to contribute to the ad-hoc cloud 106. For example, a corporation or university can have a large number of computing resources that support a variety of process (email, websites, individual user computing, and the like). The corporation or university can utilize the available excess computing resources to support an ad-hoc cloud, such as ad-hoc cloud 106.

In embodiments, as shown in FIG. 1, the ad-hoc cloud 106 can be supported by a number of computing systems 110. For example, the computing systems 110 can include a variety of systems such as a set of servers 112 and 114 and standalone user computing systems 116 and 118. The computing systems 110 can include hardware resources, such as processors, memory, network hardware, storage devices, and the like, and software resources, such as operating systems (OS), application programs, and the like.

In embodiments, the entire set of resource servers 108 or other hardware or software resources used to support the cloud 104 and the computing systems 110 used to support the cloud 106 can be managed by the cloud management system 102. The cloud management system 102 can comprise a dedicated or centralized server and/or other software, hardware, and network tools that communicate via one or more networks 120 and networks 122, such as the Internet or other public or private network, with all sets of resource servers 108 to manage the cloud 104 and with computing systems 110 to manage the cloud 106 and their operation.

In embodiments, to manage the clouds 104 and 106, the cloud management system 102 can be configured identify the computing resources of the set of resource servers 108 and computing systems 110. The cloud management system 102 can be configured to include a network management agent that is capable of querying the set of resource servers 108 and computing systems 110 to determine the hardware and software resources. Likewise, the cloud management system 102 can be configured to communicate with external network management systems and/or resources monitoring agents executing on the set of resource servers 108 and computing systems 110 in order to determine the hardware and software resources of the set of resource servers 108 and computing systems 110.

In embodiments, the cloud management system 102 can be configured to identify both the hardware and software resources of the set of resource servers 108 and computing systems 110 and which of those resources are available for use in the cloud. The cloud management system 102 can be configured to identity the hardware resources such as type and amount of processing power, type and amount of memory, type and amount of storage, type and amount of network bandwidth and the like, of the set of resource servers 108 and computing systems 110. Likewise, the cloud management system can be configured to identify the software resources, such as type of OS, application programs, and the like, of the set of resource servers 108 and computing systems 110.

In embodiments, once the computing resources have been identified, the cloud management system 102 can be configured to store an identification of the available resources in an inventory 124 in a repository 126. The repository 126 can be any type of structure configured to store information, such as a database. The repository 126 can be maintained in a computer readable storage device or medium whether local to or remote from the cloud management system 102.

In embodiments, the inventory 124 can be configured to include information that identifies the set of resource server 108 and computing systems 110 and information identifying the computing resources available. The sets of resource servers 108 and each system in the computing systems 110 can be identified by unique identifiers such as, for instance, Internet Protocol (IP) addresses or other addresses. In the inventory 124, the cloud management system 102 can associate, with each unique identifier, the computing resources available on that computing system.

In embodiments, to instantiate a new set of virtual machines, a requester can transmit an instantiation request to the cloud management system 102. The instantiation request can include the specifications for the set of virtual machines. The specifications can include the particular type of virtual machine they wish to invoke for their intended application. A requester can, for instance, make a request to instantiate a set of virtual machines configured for email, messaging or other applications from the cloud 104 and/or 106. The specifications can also include the type and/or amount of computing resources required. For example, the instantiation request can specify an amount of processing power or input/output (I/O) throughput the user wishes to be available to each instance of the virtual machine or other resources.

In embodiments, the requester's instantiation request can specify a variety of other specifications defining the configuration and operation of the set of virtual machines to be invoked. The instantiation request, for example, can specify a defined period of time for which the instantiated machine or process is needed. The period of time can be, for example, an hour, a day, or other increment of time. In embodiments, the requester's instantiation request can specify the instantiation of a set of virtual machines or processes on a task basis, rather than for a predetermined amount of time. For instance, a requester could request resources until a software update is completed. The requester can also, for instance, specify a service level agreement (SLA) acceptable for their application. One skilled in the art will realize that the requester's request can likewise include combinations of the foregoing exemplary specifications, and others.

In embodiments, the instantiation request can be received and processed by the cloud management system 102, which identifies the type of virtual machine, process, or other resource being requested from the specifications. The cloud management system 102 can then identify the collection of computing resources necessary to instantiate that machine or resource. For example, the set of instantiated virtual machines or other resources can for example comprise virtual transaction servers used to support Web storefronts, or other transaction sites.

In embodiments, the cloud management system 102 can be configured to utilize the specifications from the instantiation request and the inventory 124 of available computing resources to determine which cloud resources to devote to the requester's virtual machines to maximize the computing resources of the clouds 104 and/or 106 and meet the requester's specifications. For example, the cloud management system 102 can select a group of servers in the set of resource servers 108 and/or computing system in the computing systems 110 that match or best match the instantiation request for each component needed to build the virtual machine or other resource.

In embodiments, the cloud management system 102 can maintain a set of “virtual groups,” and assign the set of resource servers 108 and computing systems 110 to different “virtual groups”. The “virtual groups” can be based on the particular usage (type of virtual machine, application of the virtual machine, function of the virtual machine, and the like) of the members in the groups. For example, the cloud management system 102 can set up a “virtual group” for web servers. The cloud management system 102 can classify the computing resources for the web server “virtual group” based on which computing resources are best suited for web servers. As members of the web server “virtual group” request use of the cloud, the cloud management system 102 can assign the available computing resources classified in the web server “virtual group” to the members. Likewise, the “virtual groups” can be based on the specifications of the computing resources (type and amount of computing resources). For example, the cloud management system 102 can create a “virtual group” for high power computing users. The cloud management system 102 can assign resources to this group that can adequately support computing intensive virtual machines. As members of the high power “virtual group” request use of the cloud, the cloud management system 102 can assign the available computing resources classified in the high power “virtual group” to the members. The cloud management system 102 can maintain the virtual groups in a group record 128 in repository 126.

When the request to instantiate a set of virtual machines or other resources has been received and the necessary resources to build that machine or resource have been identified, the cloud management system 102 can communicate with one or more set of resource servers 108 and/or computing systems 110 to locate resources to supply the required components. The cloud management system 102 can select providers from the diverse set of resource servers 108 and/or computing systems 110 to assemble the various components needed to build the requested set of virtual machines or other resources. It may be noted that in some embodiments, permanent storage such as hard disk arrays may not be included or located within the set of resource servers 108 and the computing systems 110 available to the cloud management system 102, because the set of instantiated virtual machines or other resources may be intended to operate on a purely transient or temporary basis. In embodiments, other hardware, software or other resources not strictly located or hosted in the cloud can be leveraged as needed. For example, other software services that are provided outside of the clouds 104 and 106 and hosted by third parties can be invoked by in-cloud virtual machines. For further example, other non-cloud hardware and/or storage services can be utilized as an extension to the clouds 104 and 106, either on an on-demand or subscribed or decided basis.

With the specification and resources identified, the cloud management system 102 can extract and build the set of virtual machines or other resources on a dynamic or on-demand basis. For example, one set of resource servers 108 or computing systems 110 can respond to an instantiation request for a given quantity of processor cycles with an offer to deliver that computational power immediately and guaranteed for the next hour. A further set of resource servers 108 or computing systems 110 can offer to immediately supply communication bandwidth, for example on a guaranteed minimum or best-efforts basis. In other embodiments, the set of virtual machines or other resources can be built on a batch basis or at a particular future time. For example, a set of resource servers 108 and/or computing systems 110 can respond to a request for instantiation at a programmed time with an offer to deliver the specified quantity of processor cycles within a specific amount of time, such as the next 12 hours.

In embodiments, the cloud management system 102 can then coordinate the integration of the completed group of servers from the set of resource servers 108 and/or computing systems from the computing systems 110, to build and launch the requested set of virtual machines or other resources. The cloud management system 102 can track the combined group of servers selected from the set of resource servers 108, computing systems from the computing systems 110, or other distributed resources that are dynamically or temporarily combined, to produce and manage the requested virtual machine population or other resources.

In embodiments, the cloud management system 102 can then set up and launch the initiation process for the virtual machines, processes, or other resources to be delivered from the cloud. The cloud management system 102 can for instance transmit an instantiation command or instruction to the group of servers in set of resource servers 108 and/or computing system in the computing systems 110. The cloud management system 102 can receive a confirmation message back from each participating server in a set of resource servers 108 and/or computing system in the computing systems 110 indicating a status regarding the provisioning of their respective resources. Various sets of resource servers can confirm, for example, the availability of a dedicated amount of processor cycles, amounts of electronic memory, communications bandwidth, or applications or other software prepared to be served.

In embodiments, the cloud management system 102 can maintain a VM record 130 of each virtual machine instantiated in the clouds 104 and 106. Each virtual machine can be assigned an instantiated machine ID that can be stored in the VM record 130, or other record or image of the instantiated population. Additionally, the cloud management system 102 can store the duration of each virtual machine and the collection of resources utilized by each virtual machine in the VM record 130 and/or inventory 124. The cloud management system 102 can maintain the VM record 130 in the repository 126.

In embodiments, the cloud management system 102 can further store, track and manage a requester's identity and associated set of rights or entitlements to software, hardware, and other resources. Each requester that populates a set of virtual machines in the cloud can have specific rights and resources assigned and made available to them. The cloud management system 102 can track and configure specific actions that a requester can perform, such as provision a set of virtual machines with software applications or other resources, configure a set of virtual machines to desired specifications, submit jobs to the set of virtual machines or other host, manage other requesters of the virtual machines or other resources, and other privileges or actions. The cloud management system 102 can further generate records of the usage of instantiated virtual machines to permit tracking, billing, and auditing of the services consumed by the requester. In embodiments, the cloud management system 102 can for example meter the usage and/or duration of the virtual machines, to generate subscription billing records for a requester that has launched those machines. Other billing or value arrangements are possible.

The cloud management system 102 can configure each virtual machine to be made available to requester and/or users of the one or more networks 120 and/or 122 via a browser interface, or other interface or mechanism. Each instantiated virtual machine can communicate with the cloud management system 102 and the underlying registered set of resource servers 108 and/or computing systems 110 via a standard Web application programming interface (API) or via other calls or interfaces. The instantiated virtual machines can likewise communicate with each other, as well as other sites, servers, locations, and resources available via the Internet or other public or private networks, whether within a given cloud 104 or 106 or between clouds.

It may be noted that while a browser interface or other front-end can be used to view and operate the instantiated virtual machines from a client or terminal, the processing, memory, communications, storage, and other hardware as well as software resources required to be combined to build the virtual machines or other resources are all hosted remotely in the clouds 104 and 106. In embodiments, the virtual machines or other resources may not depend on or require the requester's own on-premise hardware or other resources. In embodiments, a requester can therefore request and instantiate a set of virtual machines or other resources on a purely off-premise basis, for instance to build and launch a virtual storefront or other application.

Because the cloud management system 102 in one regard specifies, builds, operates and manages the virtual machines on a logical level, the requester can request and receive different sets of virtual machines and other resources on a real-time or near real-time basis, without a need to specify or install any particular hardware. The requester's virtual machines, processes, or other resources can be scaled up or down immediately or virtually immediately on an on-demand basis, if desired. In embodiments, the various sets of computing resources that are accessed by the cloud management system 102 to support the virtual machines or processes can change or be substituted, over time. The type and operating characteristics of the virtual machines can nevertheless remain constant or virtually constant, since instances are assembled from abstracted resources that can be selected and maintained from diverse sources based on uniform specifications.

In terms of network management of the virtual machines that have been successfully configured and instantiated, the cloud management system 102 can perform various network management tasks including security, maintenance, and metering for billing or subscription purposes. The cloud management system 102 of a given cloud 104 or 106 can, for example, install or terminate applications or appliances on individual machines. The cloud management system 102 can monitor operating virtual machines to detect any virus or other rogue process on individual machines, and for instance terminate the infected application or virtual machine. The cloud management system 102 can likewise manage the virtual machines or other resources on a collective basis, for instance, to push or deliver a software upgrade to all active virtual machines. Other management processes are possible. Likewise, the cloud management system 102 can be configured to communicate with external network management systems to coordinate the network management functions and processes.

In embodiments, more than one set of virtual machines can be instantiated in a given cloud at the same, overlapping or successive times. The cloud management system 102 can, in such implementations, build, launch and manage multiple sets of virtual machines based on the same or different underlying set of resource servers 108 or computing systems 110, with populations of different sets of virtual machines such as may be requested by different requesters. The cloud management system 102 can institute and enforce security protocols in the clouds 104 and 106 hosting multiple sets of virtual machines. Each of the individual sets of virtual machines can be hosted in a respective partition or sub-cloud of the resources of the clouds 104 and/or 106. The cloud management system 102 of a cloud can for example deploy services specific to isolated or defined sub-clouds, or isolate individual workloads/processes within the cloud to a specific sub-cloud. The subdivision of the clouds 104 and/or 106 into distinct transient sub-clouds or other sub-components which have assured security and isolation features can assist in establishing multiple requesters or a multi-tenant cloud arrangement. In a multiple requesters scenario, each of the multiple requesters can use the cloud platform as a common utility while retaining the assurance that their information is secure from other requesters of the overall cloud system. In further embodiments, sub-clouds can nevertheless be configured to share resources, if desired.

In embodiments, the instantiated virtual machines supported by the cloud 104 can also interact with instantiated virtual machines or processes generated in the cloud 106 or other clouds and vice versa. The cloud management system 102 of clouds 104 and 106 can interface with the cloud management system of other clouds, to coordinate those domains and operate the clouds and/or virtual machines or processes on a combined basis.

As described above, the cloud management system 102 can instantiate and manage the virtual machines instantiated in the clouds 104 and 106. In embodiments, the instantiation and management of virtual machines can be performed by virtual machine (VM) managers separate from the cloud management system 102. The cloud management system 102 can be configured to communicate with the separate VM managers in order to provide the VM managers with the computing resources available in the clouds 104 and 106. The cloud management system 102 can be configured to communicate and cooperate with the VM managers regardless of the virtualization scheme used by the VM managers.

In the foregoing and other embodiments, the requester making an instantiation request or otherwise accessing or utilizing the cloud network can be a person, customer, subscriber, administrator, corporation, organization, or other entity. In embodiments, the requester can be or include another virtual machine, application or process. In further embodiments, multiple requesters and/or entities can share the use of a set of virtual machines or other resources.

FIG. 2 further illustrates aspects of the cloud computing environment 100 in which the cloud management system 102 can manage the ad-hoc cloud 106, according to various embodiments. While FIG. 2 only illustrates the interaction of cloud management system 102 with the ad-hoc cloud 106, one skilled in the art will realize that the implementation discussed below can be applied to a dedicated cloud, such as dedicated cloud 104. Additionally, one skilled in the art will realize that the cloud management system 102 can manage any number of clouds, for instance, other clouds in addition to the dedicated cloud 104 and the ad-hoc cloud 106.

As shown in FIG. 2, the cloud management system 102 can be coupled to a network 122 to communicate with computing systems 110 to provide management services for the ad-hoc cloud 106. The ad-hoc cloud 106 can be composed of a variety of computing resources that may not be dedicated to a cloud but can have available computing resources to contribute to the cloud 106. For example, a corporation or university can have a large number of computing resources that support a variety of process (email, websites, individual user computing, and the like). The corporation or university can utilize the available excess computing resources to support the ad-hoc cloud 106.

In embodiments, as shown in FIG. 2, the ad-hoc cloud 106 can be supported by the computing systems 110 For example, the computing systems 110 can include a variety of systems such as a set of servers 112 and 114 and standalone user computing systems 116 and 118. The computing systems 110 can include hardware resources, such as processors, memory, network hardware, storage devices, and the like, and software resources, such as operating systems (OS), application programs, and the like.

In embodiments, the cloud management system 102 can also be configured to communicate with an external cloud 250 controlled by an independent cloud management system 252, via one or more networks 254. The external cloud 250 can be any type of cloud computing environment which is under the control of the independent cloud management system 252. The external cloud 250 can include its own computing systems 256 under the control of the independent cloud management system 252. For example, the external cloud 250 can be a commercially available cloud maintained by a provider, such as EC2 maintained by AMAZON, and/or cloud maintained by an separate and independent entity.

In embodiments, the one or more networks 254 can be or include the Internet, or other public or private networks. The one or more or more networks 254 can be or include wired, wireless, optical, and other network connections. One skilled in the art will realize that the one or more networks 254 can be any type of network, utilizing any type of communication protocol, to connect the computing systems.

In embodiments, to manage and support the ad-hoc cloud 106, the cloud management system 102 can be configured to identify the computing resources of the computing systems 110. The cloud management system 102 can be configured to include a network management agent 202 that is capable of querying the computing systems 110 to determine the hardware and software resources. For example, the network management agent 202 can be configured to transmit an identification query 204 to the computing systems 110 via network 122 and receive a response 206 identifying the computing resources of the computing system 110. Likewise, the network management agent 202 can be configured to directly examine the computing system 110 to determine the computing resources. The network management agent 202 can be configured to include the necessary logic, routines, instruction, and commands to communicate with the computing systems 110 in order to identify the computing resources of the computing systems 110.

In embodiments, the network management agent 202 can be implemented as a portion of the code for the cloud management system 102. Likewise, the network management agent 202 can be implemented as a separate software tool accessible by the cloud management system 102. The network management agent 202 can be written in a variety of programming languages, such as JAVA, C++, Python code, and the like to accommodate a variety of operating systems, machine architectures, etc. Additionally, the network management agent 202 can be configured to include the appropriate application programming interfaces (APIs) to communicate with and cooperate with other components of the cloud management server 102.

In embodiments, the cloud management system 102 can be configured to communicate with an external network management system 208 in order to determine the computing resources of the computing systems 110. The cloud management system 102 can be configured to send a request to the network management system 208 to identify the computing resources. The network management system 208 can be configured to transmit the identification query 204 to the computing systems 110 via network 122, to receive a response 206 identifying the computing resources of the computing system 110, and to provide the identified computing resources to the cloud management system 102.

In embodiments, the network management system 208 can be any type of network management application or tool to securely communicate with the computing systems 110, to monitor the state of the computing systems 110, to retrieve and request data from the computing systems 110, and to manage and direct the computing systems 110. For example, the network management system 208 can be a “FUNC” server as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/130,424, filed May 30, 2008, entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR REMOTE MANAGEMENT OF NETWORKED SYSTEMS USING SECURE MODULAR PLATFORM” (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0300180) assigned to Red Hat Corporation, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein, in its entirety, by reference.

In embodiments, in order to aid in identifying the computing resources, the computing systems 110 can include a resource monitoring agent. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the user computing system 116 can include a resource monitoring agent 210. The resource monitoring agent 210 can be configured to identify the computing resources of the user computing system 116. The resource monitoring agent 210 can provide the identification of the computing resources to the cloud management system 102 and/or network management system 208. The resource monitoring agent 210 can be configured to include the necessary logic, routines, instruction, and commands to communicate with the hardware and software resources of the computing systems 110 in order to identify the computing resources of the computing systems 110.

In embodiments, the cloud management system 102 and/or network management system 208 can be configured to identify both the hardware and software resources of the computing systems 110 and which of those resources are available for use in the cloud. The cloud management system 102 can be configured to identify the hardware resources such as type and amount of processing power, type and amount of memory, type and amount of storage, type and amount of network bandwidth and the like, of the computing systems 110. Likewise, the cloud management system 102 can be configured to identify the software resources, such as type of OS, application programs, and the like, of the computing systems 110.

In embodiments, when identifying the computing resources, the cloud management system 102 and/or network management system 208 can be configured to identify the usage and availability of the computing system 110. For example, the computing systems 110 can be supporting other processes outside the ad-hoc cloud 106 and/or virtual machines in the ad-hoc cloud 106. The cloud management system 102 and/or network management system 208 can be configured to identify both the type and total amount of hardware and software resources as well as those currently available for use in the ad-hoc cloud 106.

In embodiments, the cloud management system 102 can be configured to identify the computing systems 256 of the external cloud 250 and the availability of the computing systems 256. To identify the computing systems 256, the cloud management system 102 can be configured to request an identification of the computing systems 256 from the independent cloud management system 252 and the availability of the computing systems 256. Likewise, to identify the computing systems 256, the cloud management system 102 can be configured to query the computing systems 256 of the external cloud 250, directly or via other processes as described above.

In embodiments, the cloud management system 102 can be configured to identify both the hardware and software resources of the computing systems 256 and which of those resources are available for use in the cloud. The cloud management system 102 can be configured to identify the hardware resources such as type and amount of processing power, type and amount of memory, type and amount of storage, type and amount of network bandwidth and the like, of the computing systems 256. Likewise, the cloud management system 102 can be configured to identify the software resources, such as type of OS, application programs, and the like, of the computing systems 256.

In embodiments, once the computing resources have been identified, the cloud management system 102 can be configured to store an identification of the available resources in the inventory 124 in the repository 126. The repository 126 can be any type of structure configured to store information, such as a database. The repository 126 can be maintained in a computer readable storage device or medium whether local to or remote from the cloud management system 102.

In embodiments, the inventory 124 can be configured to include information that identifies the computing systems 110 and information identifying the computing resources available. The computing systems 110 can be identified by unique identifiers such as, for instance, Internet Protocol (IP) addresses or other addresses. For example, each system 112, 114, 116, and 118 can have a unique identifier. In the inventory 124, the cloud management system 102 can associate, with each unique identifier, the computing resources available on that computing system. The inventory 124 can include the type and total amount of hardware and software resources and the type and amount of available hardware and software resources. Likewise, the inventory 124 can include similar information for the computing systems 256 of the cloud 250.

In embodiments, once the computing resources have been identified, the cloud management system 102 can be configured to classify the computing systems 110 into “virtual groups.” The “virtual group” can specify a particular usage (type of virtual machine, application of the virtual machine, function of the virtual machine, and the like) of the computing resources and the ad-hoc cloud 106. For example, the cloud management system 102 can set up a “virtual group A” 212 for web servers. The cloud management system 102 can classify the computing systems 110 for the web server “virtual group A” 212 based on which computing resources are best suited for web servers, for example, the set of servers 114 and user computing system 116. Likewise, the “virtual groups” can be based on the specifications (type and amount of computing resources) of the computing resources required. For example, the cloud management system 102 can create a “virtual group B” 214 for high power computing users. The cloud management system 102 can assign computing systems 110 to “virtual group B” 214 that can adequately support computing intensive virtual machines, for example, the set of servers 112.

In embodiments, the cloud management system 102 can classify the computing systems 256 of the external 250 into virtual groups. As described above. The “virtual group” can specify a particular usage (type of virtual machine, application of the virtual machine, function of the virtual machine, and the like) of the computing resources and the external cloud 250. Likewise, the “virtual groups” can be based on the specifications (type and amount of computing resources) of the computing resources required. For example, the cloud management system 102 can classify the computing systems 256 as “virtual group C” 258 for use only in emergency situations, failure of computing systems in the ad-hoc network 106, lack of computing resources to support virtual machines in the ad-hoc cloud 106, etc. or for high priority requests. For instance, a charge or cost may be associated with the utilization of the computing systems 256, and, consequently, the cloud management system 102 can desire to only use the computing systems 256 if the computing resources of the ad-hoc cloud 106 are unavailable or the virtual machines have a high priority.

In embodiments, the cloud management system 102 can maintain the “virtual groups” in the group record 128 in repository 126. The group record 128 can include the identification of the groups, different requesters associated with the “virtual groups”, identification of the computing systems 110 and computing systems 256 associated with the “virtual groups”, and a reference to the inventory 126 to identify the available computing resources. Likewise, the group record 128 can be included as part of the inventory 126, for example, each computing system 110 and computing resource 256 can be associated with one or more “virtual groups” it is supporting.

In embodiments, once the computing resources have been identified and classified, the cloud management system 102 can be configured to receive instantiation requests from requesters to instantiate virtual machines in the ad-hoc cloud 106 and/or the external cloud 250. The cloud management system can be configured to receive specifications, in the instantiation requests, of the cloud usage. The specifications can include how the requester plans to use the cloud (mail server, application server, web server, etc.) and/or specific requirements for the computing resources (amount of processing power, amount of memory, amount of storage, amount of bandwidth, etc.). The cloud management system 102 can be configured to utilize the specifications from the requester and the inventory 124 of available computing resources to determine which cloud resources to devote to the requester's virtual machines to maximize the computing resources and meet the requester's specifications.

In embodiments, the cloud management system 102 can be configured to determine if the request belongs to a particular “virtual group” or determine a “virtual group” with which the requester can be assigned. The cloud management system 102 can determine if a requester belongs to a particular group by accessing and examining the group record 128. The cloud management system 102 can examine the group record 128 for the requester's identification and assigned group if included in the group record 128.

In embodiments, for example, the cloud management system 102 can receive an instantiation request 216 from “requester A” 218. The instantiation request 216 can include the identity as “requester A” and can include the specifications of the cloud usage. The cloud management system 102 can search the group record 128 for the identity “requester A”. For example, the group record 128 can indicate that “requester A” 218 is associated with the “virtual group A” 212. Accordingly, the cloud management system 102 can assign computing resources from the computing systems 114 and 116 associated with the “virtual group A” 212.

In embodiments, if the group record 128 does not identify the requester, the cloud management system 102 can assign a “virtual group” to the requester. The cloud management system 102 can assign a “virtual group” based on the specifications received from the requester. The cloud management system 102 can assign the “virtual group” based on how the requester plans to use the resources or the specific computing resources required or requested.

In embodiments, for example, the cloud management system 102 can receive an instantiation request 220 from “requester B” 222. The instantiation request 216 can include the identity as “requester B” and can include the specifications of the cloud usage. The cloud management system 102 can search the group record 128 for the identity “requester B”. For example, the group record 128 can indicate that “requester B” 222 is not associated with a “virtual group”. As such, the cloud management system 102 can assign a “virtual group” based on the instantiation request 220. For example, the instantiation request 212 can indicate that the “requester B” 222 requires a significant amount of processing power and memory to support the requested virtual machine. This can be explicitly included in the instantiation request 220 or determined by the cloud management system by examining the requested usage. Because the “requester B” 222 requires significant computing resources, the cloud management system 102 can assign the “requester B” 222 to the “virtual group B” 214 for high power computing users. Accordingly, the cloud management system 102 can assign computing resources from the computing systems 112 associated with the “virtual group B” 214.

Likewise, in another example, the group record 128 can indicate that “requester B” 222 is not associated with a “virtual group”. As such, the cloud management system 102 can assign a “virtual group” based on the instantiation request 220. For example, the instantiation request 212 can indicate that the “requester B” 222 requires a significant amount of processing power and memory to support the requested virtual machine. This can be explicitly included in the instantiation request 220 or determined by the cloud management system by examining the requested usage. In this example, the cloud management system 102 can determine that the ad-hoc cloud 106 does not have computing resources to support the instantiation request 220, for instance, the computing resources associated with “virtual group B” are fully utilized. Because the “requester B” 222 requires significant computing resources and the ad-hoc cloud 106 cannot support the request, the cloud management system 102 can assign the “requester B” 222 to the “virtual group C” 214 for emergency situations. Accordingly, the cloud management system 102 can assign computing resources from the computing systems 256 associated with the “virtual group C” 258.

In embodiments, once the “virtual groups” have been identified, the cloud management system 102 can determine the specific computing systems 110 and computing systems 256 in the “virtual group” and/or the specific computing resources to allocate to the requester's virtual machine. The cloud management system 102 can examine the inventory 124 to determine which computing systems 110 and computing resources or the computing systems 256 are available and meet the specifications of the instantiation request. For instance, the cloud management system can examine the inventory 124 to determine which computing systems 10 and computing resources or computing systems 256 are available and match or most closely match the specifications of the instantiation request. Likewise, for the computing systems 256, the cloud management system 102 can be configured to communicate with the independent cloud management system 252 in order to determine the specific computing systems 256.

In embodiments, for example, the “requester A” 218, which is a member of the “virtual group A” 212 includes in the instantiation request 216 a particular specification for the computing resources (particular OS, particular amount of processor power, memory, or bandwidth, and/or other specification). The cloud management system 102 can examine the inventory 124 to determine which computing systems 110, in the “virtual group A” 212, have the computing resources available that match or best match the instantiation request 216. For example, the cloud management system 102 can examine the inventory 124 and determine that user computing system 116 matches the instantiation request 216. As such, the cloud management system 102 can allocate the user computing system 116 or a portion of the computing resources to the instantiation request 216.

In embodiments, the cloud management system 102 can be configured to update the inventory 124 and group record 128. For example, as computing resources are allocated, the cloud management system can be configured to update the inventory 124 to reflect allocation or de-allocation of computing resources. Likewise, as the “virtual groups” are assigned, the cloud management system 102 can be configured to update the group record 128 to reflect computing systems 110 and/or computing systems 256 assigned or removed from the “virtual groups” and/or requesters assigned or removed from the “virtual groups”. Additionally, the cloud management system 102 and/or network management system 208 can be configured to periodically query the computing system 110 and/or the computing systems 256 to update the availability of computing resources. Likewise, the cloud management system 102 can be configured to periodically communicate with the independent cloud management system 252 to update the availability of the computing systems 256. The cloud management system 102 can be configured to update the inventory 124 and group record 128 to reflect these updates.

In embodiments, once computing system 110, computing systems 256, and computing resources have been allocated, the cloud management system 102 can be configured to instantiate the virtual machines as specified in the instantiation request, as described above in FIG. 1. The cloud management system 102 can be configured to utilize any type of virtualization scheme to instantiate the virtual machines on the computing system 110. Likewise, the cloud management system 102 can utilize different type of virtualization schemes on different ones of the computing systems 110, for instance, depending on which scheme can be supported by a particular computing system 110. Additionally, the cloud management system 102 can utilize the virtualization scheme which is supported by the external cloud 250. The cloud management system 102 can maintain the VM record 130 of each virtual machine instantiated in the ad-hoc cloud 106 and the external cloud 250. Each virtual machine can be assigned an instantiated machine ID that can be stored in the VM record 130. Additionally, the cloud management system 102 can store the duration of each virtual machine and the collection of resources utilized by each virtual machine in the VM record 130 and/or inventory 124. The cloud management system 102 can maintain the VM record 130 in the repository 126.

In embodiments, the instantiation and management of virtual machines can be performed by the cloud management system 102. Likewise, the cloud management system 102 can be configured to communicate with one or more VM managers 224 separate from the cloud management system 102. The cloud management system 102 can be configured to communicate with the separate VM managers 224 in order to provide the VM managers 224 with the computing resources allocated to a particular virtual machines and the VM managers 224 can be configured to instantiate the virtual machines on the allocated computing resources. The cloud management system 102 can be configured to communicate and cooperate with the VM managers 224 regardless of the virtualization scheme used by the VM managers 224. For example, the VM managers 224 can be a variety of different VM managers supporting virtualization schemes such as Xen, Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM), VMware, mainframe ZVM, and the like.

In embodiments, the cloud management system 102 can directly instantiate the virtual machines on the computing systems 256 of the external cloud 250. Likewise, for example, the cloud management system 102 can provide the virtual machines and/or details of the virtual machines to the independent cloud management system 252, and the independent cloud management system 252 can instantiate the virtual machine.

In exemplary embodiments as described above, the computer systems 110 included in the “virtual group A” 212 and the “virtual group B” 214 do not overlap. One skilled in the art will realize that the the computer systems 110 included in the “virtual groups” can overlap. That is, one of more of the computer system 110 can be included in one or more of the “virtual groups”.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary diagram of hardware and other resources that can be incorporated in a computing system 300 and configured to communicate with the clouds 104 and 106 via one or more networks 120 and 122 and the external cloud 250 via one or more network 254, to support the cloud management system 102, according to embodiments. In embodiments as shown, the computing system 300 can comprise a processor 302 communicating with memory 304, such as electronic random access memory, operating under control of or in conjunction with operating system 308. Operating system 308 can be, for example, a distribution of the Linux™ operating system, such as SELinux, the Unix™ operating system, or other open-source or proprietary operating system or platform. Processor 302 also communicates with one or more computer readable storage devices or media 310, such as hard drives, optical storage, and the like, for maintaining the repository 126. Processor 302 further communicates with network interface 306, such as an Ethernet or wireless data connection, which in turn communicates with one or more networks 120, 122, and 254, such as the Internet or other public or private networks.

Processor 302 also communicates with the cloud management system 102, to execute control logic and allow perform the management processes as described above and below. Other configurations of the computing system 300, associated network connections, and other hardware and software resources are possible.

While FIG. 3 illustrates the computing system 300 as a standalone system including a combination of hardware and software, the computing system 300 can include multiple systems operating in cooperation. The cloud management system 102 can be implemented as a software application or program capable of being executed by the computing system 300, as illustrated, or other conventional computer platforms. Likewise, the cloud management system 102 can also be implemented as a software module or program module capable of being incorporated in other software applications and programs. Further, the cloud management system 102 can also be implemented as a software module or program module capable of being incorporated in other management software applications and programs. In any example, the cloud management system 102 can be implemented in any type of conventional proprietary or open-source computer language. When implemented as a software application or program code, the cloud management system 102 can be stored in a computer readable storage medium, such as storage 310, accessible by the computing system 300. During execution, a copy of the cloud management system 102 can be stored in the memory 304.

FIG. 4 illustrates a flow diagram of an exemplary flexible management process for a cloud computing architecture including external clouds, according to embodiments. In 402, processing can begin. In 404, the cloud management system 102 can identify computing systems 110 and computing resources and the computing resources of an external cloud to include in a cloud. For example, the cloud management system 102 can query the computing systems 110 to identify the type and amount of computing resources and which of these resources are available. Likewise, the cloud management module 102 can communicate with network management systems 208 and/or monitoring agent 210 to determine the computing resources. Additionally, the cloud management system 102 can communicate with the independent cloud management system 252 to determine the computing resources of the external cloud 250.

In 406, the cloud management system 102 can classify the computing systems 110 and the computing resources of the external cloud for supporting the cloud. For example, the cloud management system 102 can classify the computing systems 110 and the computing systems 256 into “virtual groups.” The “virtual group” can specify a particular usage (type of virtual machine, application of the virtual machine, function of the virtual machine, and the like) of the computing resources and the ad-hoc cloud 106.

In 408, the cloud management system 102 can receive a request to instantiate a virtual machine in the cloud. The cloud management system 102 can receive specifications, in the instantiation requests, of the cloud usage. The specifications can include how the requester plans to use the ad-hoc cloud 106 (mail server, application server, web server, etc.) and/or specific requirements for the computing resources (amount of processing power, amount of memory, amount of storage, amount of bandwidth, etc.).

In 410, the cloud management system 102 can identify the computing systems 110 and/or computing resources of the external cloud to allocate to the requester's virtual machine. For example, the cloud management system 102 can determine the specific computing systems 110 and/or computing systems 256 in the “virtual group” and/or the specific computing resources to allocate to the requester's virtual machine. The cloud management system 102 can examine the inventory 124 to determine which computing systems 110 and computing resources and/or the computing systems 256 are available and meet the specifications of the instantiation request. For instance, the cloud management system can examine the inventory 124 to determine which computing systems 110 and computing resources and/or the computing systems 256 are available and match or most closely match the specifications of the instantiation request. Additionally, for example, the cloud management system 102 can be configured to communicate with the independent cloud management system 252 in order to determine the specific computing systems 256.

In 412, the cloud management system 102 can instantiate the virtual machine on the computing systems 110 or the computing resources of the external cloud. For example, the cloud management system 102 can directly instantiate the virtual machine on the the selected computer systems 110 and computer resources, or the computer system can communicate with one or more VM managers 224 to instantiate the virtual machines. The cloud management system 102 can also update the inventory 124 to indicate the allocation of the computer systems 110 and the computer resources.

Additionally, for example, the cloud management system 102 can directly instantiate the virtual machines on the computing systems 256 of the external cloud 250. Likewise, for example, the cloud management system 102 can provide the virtual machines and/or details of the virtual machines to the independent cloud management system 252, and the independent cloud management system 252 can instantiate the virtual machine.

Then, in 414, the process can end, but the process can return to any point and repeat.

Certain embodiments may be performed as a computer application or program. The computer program may exist in a variety of forms both active and inactive. For example, the computer program can exist as software program(s) comprised of program instructions in source code, object code, executable code or other formats; firmware program(s); or hardware description language (HDL) files. Any of the above can be embodied on a computer readable medium, which include computer readable storage devices and media, and signals, in compressed or uncompressed form. Exemplary computer readable storage devices and media include conventional computer system RAM (random access memory), ROM (read-only memory), EPROM (erasable, programmable ROM), EEPROM (electrically erasable, programmable ROM), and magnetic or optical disks or tapes. Exemplary computer readable signals, whether modulated using a carrier or not, are signals that a computer system hosting or running the computer application or program can be configured to access, including signals downloaded through the Internet or other networks. Concrete examples of the foregoing include distribution of executable software program(s) of the computer program on a CD-ROM or via Internet download. In a sense, the Internet itself, as an abstract entity, is a computer readable medium. The same is true of computer networks in general.

While various aspects have been described with reference to the exemplary embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art will be able to make various modifications to the described embodiments without departing from the true spirit and scope. The terms and descriptions used herein are set forth by way of illustration only and are not meant as limitations. In particular, although the method has been described by examples, the steps of the method may be performed in a different order than illustrated or simultaneously. Furthermore, to the extent that the terms “including”, “includes”, “having”, “has”, “with”, or variants thereof are used in either the detailed description and the claims, such terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising.” As used herein, the term “one or more of” with respect to a listing of items such as, for example, A and B, means A alone, B alone, or A and B. Those skilled in the art will recognize that these and other variations are possible within the spirit and scope as defined in the following claims and their equivalents. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: classifying a plurality of systems into a plurality of groups, wherein each group is in view of at least one of a virtual machine type, a virtual machine application, or a virtual machine function; identifying, by a processor, one of the plurality of groups in view of a match of (a) specifications in a request to instantiate a virtual machine with (b) an inventory of resources available at the one of the plurality of groups; selecting at least one of the plurality of systems in the one of the plurality of groups; and instantiating the virtual machine on at least one system in the one of the plurality of groups.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein classifying the plurality of systems comprises querying the plurality of systems to determine at least one of type of resources, amount of resources, or availability of resources.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein classifying the plurality of systems comprises providing a request to determine at least one of type of resources, amount of resources, or availability of resources.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the specifications comprise at least one of a type of the virtual machine, a process performed by the virtual machine, or desired resources for the virtual machine.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein instantiating the virtual machine comprises providing the specifications to a cloud management system.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of systems reside in a plurality of clouds.
 7. A system comprising: a memory; and a processor, coupled to the memory, to: classify the plurality of systems into at a plurality of groups, wherein each group is in view of at least one of a virtual machine type, a virtual machine application, or a virtual machine function; identify one of the plurality of groups in view of a match of (a) specifications in a request to instantiate a virtual machine with (b) an inventory of resources available at the one of the plurality of groups; select at least one of the plurality of systems in the one of the plurality of groups; and instantiate the virtual machine on at least one system in the one of the plurality of groups.
 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor is to classify the plurality of systems by querying the plurality of systems to determine at least one of a type of resources, an amount of resources, or an availability of resources.
 9. The system of claim 7, wherein to classify the plurality of systems is to provide a request to determine at least one of type of resources, amount of resources, or availability of resources.
 10. The system of claim 7, wherein the specifications comprise at least one of a type of the virtual machine, a process performed by the virtual machine, or desired resources for the virtual machine.
 11. The system of claim 7, wherein to instantiate the virtual machine is to provide the specifications to a cloud management system.
 12. The system of claim 7, wherein the plurality of systems reside in a plurality of clouds.
 13. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising: classifying a plurality of systems into a plurality of groups, wherein each group is in view of at least one of a virtual machine type, a virtual machine application, or a virtual machine function; identifying, by the processor, one of the plurality of groups in view of a match of (a) specifications in a request to instantiate a virtual machine with (b) an inventory of resources available at the one of the plurality of groups; selecting at least one of the plurality of systems in the one of the plurality of virtual groups; and instantiating the requested virtual machine on at least one system in the one of the plurality of groups.
 14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein classifying the plurality of systems comprises querying the plurality of systems to determine at least one of type of resources, amount of resources, or availability of resources.
 15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein classifying the plurality of systems comprises providing a request to determine at least one of type of resources, amount of resources, or availability of resources.
 16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the specifications comprise at least one of a type of the virtual machine, a process performed by the virtual machine, or desired resources for the virtual machine.
 17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein instantiating the virtual machine comprises providing the specifications to a cloud management system. 